Log cabin structure



Sept. 13, 1938. E. A. FORCIEA LOG CABlN STRUCTURE Filed May 9. 1935 2 $heets-$heet l 47' T ANE K;

Sept. 13, 1938. E. A. FORCIEA I 2,130,231

LOG CABIN STRUCTURE Filed May 9, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5mm 07 EPNEJTA. FoEc/EA Patented Sept. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOG cann s'rauc'rmm Ernest A. Forciea, Minneapolis. Application May 9, 1935, Serial No. 20,622

1 Claim. This invention relates to new and useful improvements in log cabin structures.

An object'of the invention is to provide a log cabin structure or building in which the walls are in horizontal relation, and, suitably interlocked at the corners of the building whereby the logs are retained in operative positions without the use-oi separate securing means. I

A further object is to provide a log' cabin in which the logs constituting the walls of the structure are substantially alike in configuration,

and are suitably interlocked at the.corners 01' the building-ands. suitable sealing means being provided between adjacent logs to seal the joints therebetween.

A further object is to provide a log cabin composed of log members arranged one upon another in intersecting relation at the corners of the structure, and each log member being provided with transverse slots or grooves adjacent its ends adapted to receive longitudinally extending ribs provided on other logs arranged in intersecting relation thereto at the corners of the structure,

corners of the building will be substantially sealed.

Other objects of the invention reside in the particular construction of the logs at the corners of the building whereby the logs are identical in construction, each including a transverse slot or recess and a longitudinally extending tongue, which tongues are received in the transverse recesses or slots in the underlying logs; in the sealwhereby the joints therebetween are sealed to prevent circulation of airtherethrough; and, in the concaved recesses formed in each log adapted to seat against the contour of a sublying log member, whereby the projecting ends of the logs at the corners of the structure will be disposed in contacting relation.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the iollowing description and accompanying 4B drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claim.

In the accompanying drawings there has been disclosed 'a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is to be 50 understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown as various changes may be made within the scope oi the claims which follow.

In the drawings:

55 Figure 1 is a detail view showing the ends 01' composed oi. logs arranged one upon the other and whereby the joints between the logs at the ing means provided between contiguous logs,

two log members disposed in intersecting relation, with the. tongue of the upper log about to be inserted into the transverse recess oi a sublying log member;

"Figure 2 is a'perspective view showing a portion of a. corner structure and the manner'in which the logs are interlocked with one another;

Figure 3 is a plan view .of a portion ofja structure showing the-intersecting relation of the logs at the corners thereof; 1 j I 3 Figure 4 is a view showing a side elevation of the lower portion oia wallstruct'urey I Figure 5 is a view showing a side elevation of a single log'member to more clearlyillustrate the concaved recesses provided adjacent the lon'gi tudinally extending tongues thereof;

Figure 6 is a bottom view of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a plan view 01' Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view showing the manner of interlocking the endsof inner wall log members with the outer'wall log members to provide inner walls or partitions;

Figure 9 is a detail sectional view on the line 8-9 of Figure 8; and

Figure 10 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the novel sealing means provided between the logs for sealing the joints therebetween.

One of the important features of the present invention resides in the means provided adjacent the ends of each log, whereby the logs at the corners of the structure may be interlocked in intersecting relation, and whereby the joints between the logs are substantiallyleak-proof.

As clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 5, each log is provided with a transverse recess 2 adjacent each end thereof, shown disposed directly over longitudinally extending tongues 3, formed by cutting away portions of the material 01' the log at opposite sides thereof to provide concaved recesses 4. The curvature of the recesses 4 corresponds substantially to the, curvature of the periphery of the logs, so that when the tongues 3 of a log are inserted into the transverse grooves I of a sublying log, the portions 0! the sublying log adjacent to the transverse recesses 2 are received in the concaved recesses I, as will be clearly understood by reference to Figures 1, 2, 5, and 6.

By providing each log with recesses I, tongues 3. and the concaved oppositely disposed recesses 4, the logs may be arranged in superimposed relation, one over the other, as clearly illustrated in Figure 4, in such a manner that the joints between the logs are substantially sealed.

To provide a reasonably close fit between the surfaces of adjoininglogs, each log'is preferably dressed or sized, as shown at i and O in Figures 6 and '1, respectively, thereby to provide flattened suriaces which abuttingly engage one another. when the logs arearranged asshown in Figures.

In Figure 3, there is shown acstructure :having a side wall 1 andend walls 8 and 0. It apartition is to be constructed-in the building, the inner sides of theouter wall logs are provided with vertical grooves II, as clearly illustrated in Pigures 3 and 8, adapted to receive terminal tongues l2 providedat the ends of the log members ll. These tongues are fitted into-the recesses II and are provided at each side with a concaved recess II, the bottoms 01' which are adapted to engage the periphery of the complemental log member, as will be clearly understoodby reference to Figures 3 and 8. The partition logmembers I, like the outer wall members, are supported in operative positions, as a result oi being interlockingly engaged with the outer wall members, as above described. Thus, all of thevertical walls of a log cabin constructed in accordance with the present invention, may be erected without the use of nails, screws, or other separate securing means.

In some structures, it may be desirable to positively seal thehorizontal jointsbetween adjoining logs in the outer walls. This may be accomplished by the novel sealing means illustrated in Figure 10, which consists of longitudinally recessing the upper and lower peripheral surface-0t the logs, as indicated at IS in Figure 10, and providing longitudinal grooves ii at the sides thereof. In the grooves it are inserted suitable sealing members or strips H which, it will be noted by reference to Figure 10, are received in correspondingly shaped grooves I provided in the adjacent surfaces of an adjoining log. The bottoms of the concaved recesses l5 cooperate with the spaced strips I'I to provide a longitudinally extending gap between adjoining logs adapted to receive a suitable packing material ll, such, for

By thus sealing the joints between adjoining logs, it'will readily be understood that circulation of air through said joints is positively eliminated, whereby a warm, comiortable log cabin structure is provided which may be readily and economically heated in freezexample, as okum.

ing temperatures, if desired.

As ,hereinbeiore stated, the logs are so interlocked and fitted together at the corners of the structure that'the entire wall structure may be erected substantially without the use of nails or other securing means. All of the logs are substantiaiiy'alike in form, whereby the logs {or a given wall lengthare interchangeable and may therefore .be readily and quickly assembled in a wall with a minimum of cutting or fitting, which is now common in most log cabin structures. It is also to .be noted that by making the logs substantially alike in configuration for a given wall,

the logs may be used interchangeably, whereby vlittle care need beexercised in arranging them the corner of the structure "having a transverse slot in the upperiace thereof whose bottom terminates at the center of the log, and a longitudinal tongue in the bottom surface thereof whose upper edge constitutes the bottom of said slot, said tongue being adapted to be received in the transverse slot of a sublying log, said grooves and tongues being symmetrically disposed with respect to the longitudinal center lines of their respective logs.

ERNEST A. FORCIEA. 

